To Past, Present and Future Medical Professionals,

FIRSTLY I want to say I’m glad medicine has got better but sadly not in time to help me. I was unfortunate to be born in 1961 at a time when doctors told my mam, a first time mam, that she was being an over-fussy mother when at nearly three, I wasn’t walking.

Had it not been for one good doctor, God knows what quality of life I would have had as he diagnosed congenital dislocated hips. Right and left, since birth. Then the only course of action was to set the hips in traction with plaster of Paris, which they did but I was allergic to the plaster and the job was not completed.

Fast forward to me being 13 years old and at secondary school and not being able to do PE or partake in any sports, because of my hips and the pain I experienced — which I now know to be rheumatoid arthritis.

In early adulthood a clatter of doctors told me it was my weight causing every ailment I had, even though I ate well and did not over-eat. But I was still obese — a lack of exercise perhaps. A vicious circle more like — can’t walk, can’t exercise because of my hips.

Fast forward to my mid 30s and I have severe back and neck pain, leg pain, suspected sciatica. X-rays done, mayhem, doctors tell me I have two dislocated hips. Big news to these doctors but not to me, I have had them since birth.

Doctors are baffled as to “why nothing was done?” Imagine how I feel? Years of not being able to walk, exercise. I have an arthritis-riddled body, extreme obesity, life in danger, drastic action needed. Waiting lists for bariatric surgery, but a doctor insists those over 14 stone be sent to end of waiting list. I plead it’s not my fault. Medical staff are not interested. Life savings used, gastric bypass done, lose eight stone. Great at first, but can’t afford follow-up surgery to remove the excess skin. See a specialist who won’t remove excess skin — I need to lose another four stone and so the vicious circle continues. All I hear is lose weight, watch your diet, reduce your weight. What does the medical profession want me to do? If I stood on my head it wouldn’t be enough.

Various complaints: I have a bad shoulder, “Ah it’s your weight”, the top half of my body gets more workouts than being in a gym! It’s the only part of my body that works as my legs certainly don’t. What I wish for is to be normal, be able to walk without a shopping trolley to hold on to or to be able to go for a walk. Instead my balance is off. I am in constant pain, day and night but I get on with it.

I hope future medical professionals will stop, look and listen to their patients. Stop and see the person with the condition first. Look and ask, don’t assume. Listen to the patient. Be mindful of what you write. I’ve seen my medical records over the years, and the medical profession did not rate me as a person. Even today’s medical profession needs to treat the whole person — holistically, not just the complaint, they’re seeing them for. Doctors need to know their patient, read their notes and read them properly. They need to be mindful what they write, know about the disease they are treating. But equally they need to be mindful that the patient is a “human being” not needing a lecture on their condition at each visit, especially when their condition stems back to a lack of medical knowledge.

Medical science has come a long way since my diagnosis and many children born now with dislocated hips can be treated successfully and be able to walk.

Onwards and upwards in the medical profession for a lucky new generation.

LMS Name and address with the Editor